In Sermons:

The Prodigal Son

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Sep 10, 2025

There are at least three shocks to the 1st century Jews who heard the Parable. 1. That the Father gave the son his inheritance before his death; 2.That the Father ran to embrace the wayward son and 3. The Father simply forgave the Son

Story: I have to tell you that, in continental Europe, the Swiss are known as being as parsimonious. In fact they make the Scots look generous - apologies to any Scots listening. At the turn of the 19th Century, the roof of the a little Swiss church was in serious need of repair. So the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-32, John 8:12

Denomination: Anglican

Gentle Jesus Meek And And Mild? Really

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Aug 16, 2025

Jesus obviously had not read Dale Carnegie's book "How to make friends and influence people" He hated hypocrisy and called it as it was even if it meant offending the Jewish religious hierarchy

Lk 12:49-56: Gentle Jesus meek and mild? You will probably recall that famous Anglican hymn writer Charles Wesley’s hymn that start with the words “Gentle Jesus meek and mild” I have a great respect for John and Charles Wesley but I would have to say You have to be kidding - as we see in the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:49-56

Denomination: Anglican

The Mountaineer's Psalm

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jul 5, 2025

Where do we look for solace in times of grief or hardship. And with whom do we share our joy when God blesses us.

Introduction Thank you for inviting me to take your festival service today (in Skillington - the church where Revd Charles Hudson was vicar from 1859 to 1865) My interest comes from a former vicar here - Revd Charles Hudson (4th October 1828-14 July 1865). Charles was born in Park Street in ...read more

Denomination: Anglican

The Parable Of Dives And Lazarus

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jun 16, 2025

What we do in this life determines where we will spend eternity

Kirby Underwood/Bitchfield 22-06-2025 Lk 16:19-31 Dives and Lazarus Story: A little girl was standing outside her Sunday School classroom when the pastor - a liberal theologian - noticed she was holding a big storybook entitled, “Jonah and the Whale.” The pastor wanted to have some fun with ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:19-31

Denomination: Anglican

Nicodemus Visits Jesus By Night

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jun 14, 2025

Why did Nicodemus visit Jesus by night and why did Jesus throw him an intellectual hand grenade

John 3:13-17: You must be born again A report in the newspaper CoventryLive on 19th Dec 2020 ran this article Che Williams was using his magnetic fishing rod in an attempt to find an old rod he had once lost in that area of the river. Instead, he ended up pulling up a hand grenade. He pulled ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-17

Denomination: Anglican

Pentecost And The Foundation Of The Church

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jun 4, 2025

We are called to work for God in the spiritual harvest and as a result we have three responsibilities for the success of the operation. 1. We need to hear what God is saying to us and obey him; 2. we need to ask for power to preach the Gospel; and 3. we need to know our Scripture well.

Corby Glen 08-06-2025 Introduction The fifty days between Passover and Pentecost following Jesus’ Crucifixion must have been incredibly strange time for the 11 remaining apostles (Judas having committed suicide) and the other disciples who had not deserted Jesus. The Jewish inhabitants of ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-21, Genesis 11:1-11

Denomination: Anglican

A New Motivation

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on May 14, 2025

What makes Jesus different to any other warrior. His redeeming heart of love. And we are called to love one another

Jn 13:31-35: A new motivation Story: When the 19th Century French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled on St. Helena, he was asked by one of his friends, 'Who was the greatest warrior the world has ever known?" Without hesitation, Napoleon answered, "Jesus Christ.' ...read more

Scripture: John 13:31-35

Denomination: Anglican

Easter Sunday Morning In Ad 33

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Apr 16, 2025

If the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is so important to the Christian Faith (and it is) so why does St John only record four Resurrection appearances in his Gospel

Swayfield 20-04-2025 Sermon Before I was a Vicar, I was a patent lawyer. So I am keen on evidence. And I do believe we have a reasonable faith And the more I think about it, the most reasonable explanation for my Christian faith is that Jesus died and rose from the dead. For that ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-31

Denomination: Anglican

The Healing Of The Syro-Phoenican Woman's Daughter

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Mar 8, 2025

The real lesson of the story of the healing of the Canaanite woman’s daughter is that we must approach Jesus with humility in our prayers.

The Syro-Phoenican woman Swayfield 15-03-2025 Story: The Cathedral in Freiburg (in Breisgau), Germany had recently installed new magnificent Gottfried Silberman Organ, that took three years to build (1711 to 1714). The Old Cathedral Organist, on retirement had been made Custodian of the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:21-28

Denomination: Anglican

Marriage Is More Than Simply Falling In Love.

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Feb 18, 2025

Marriage is more than falling in love. Both parties to the marriage have a complementary role to play to the other. And you need to work at it.

Marriage Foundation Introduction: The marriage covenant predates the Fall I would like to like to go back to the very basics of when marriage was instituted. We first read about it in Genesis 2. I am not talking about a piece of paper saying you are married but to the marriage covenant between ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 2:15-25, Matthew 19:4-6, Ephesians 5:31, Malachi 2:13-16

Denomination: Anglican

Have You Ever Been Confronted By A Message That Has Transformed Your Life

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Feb 12, 2025

What is God calling YOU to do in your local Church

Luke 6:17-31 Have you ever been confronted with a message that changed your perspective? Certainly on the day Jesus spoke the words of Sermon on the Plain, as our Gospel reading is known as, He gave those around Him a new perspective on life with the Beatitudes (the sayings that started with ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:17-31

Denomination: Anglican

Church Is Not A One Man Show

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Feb 3, 2025

We all have a part to play in our church or fellowship. To find out what it is we need to i) prayer ii) read our Bible and iii)m have fellowshop

Sermon: The Church is not a “one man show” As I was thinking about the sermon for today, I was struck by the thought that the Church is not a “one man show” God calls us to be a community – and the Church has no passengers. As our Bishops often remind us – our baptism is a calling to ministry ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-11

Denomination: Anglican

God Is The God Of Second Chances

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jan 18, 2025

In this sermon we look at three Cs Compassion of Jesus, Commitment to Jesus and the Covenant that Jesus ushers in the New Covenant

Jesus’ first miracle: Turning water into wine (Jn 2:1-11) Story: A little girl was attending a wedding for the first time. She whispered to her mother, "Why is the bride dressed in white?" Her mother replied: "Because white is the colour of happiness, and today is the happiest ...read more

Scripture: John 2:1-11

Denomination: Anglican

What Is Truth On The Last Sunday Of The Church's Year The Feast Of Christ The King

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Nov 23, 2024

As we come to the end of the Church's year, we are left to consider Who is Jesus Not just who was Jesus but who is Jesus Is the Resurrection real and if so how does it affect the way we live

What is Truth - Jn 18:33-38 Christ the King is the last Sunday of the season of pre-Advent and of the end of the church’s year. The Church’s year begins next week with the preparation for the birth of Jesus in Advent. And so the Feast of Christ the King - is the last Festival in the Church’s ...read more

Scripture: John 18:33-38

Denomination: Anglican

Don't Be Side Tracked

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Nov 16, 2024

We are called not to speculate on when the Second Coming will occur. We are called to keep our eye on the ball and preach the Gospel to all nations and not to be star gazing

SERMON: Mk 13:1-37 Advent is the time when we look forward to Jesus’s birth in Bethlehem. So is it not a little strange that the readings for the second Sunday before Advent, should be about Jesus’ second coming – a date in the future rather than to the events leading up his birth in ...read more

Scripture: Mark 13:1-37

Denomination: Anglican